hi are any other boners headed for scotland for single speed UK this year ?

It would be rude not to go - might even be able to give you a lift as heading up the M6 to get there

Yup, its just up the road from me so I thought I'd give it a go. No idea what I'm in for although I have ridden the Comrie croft trails before....

What are the trails like there ? I'm going but haven't ridden that area

Mix of woodland and semi moorland single track. They've made a big effort to keep it as natural as poss with only light touch style trail building (at least it was when I rode it last!) so is a good laugh without too much in the way of berms and jumps. Its quite a small area and on a hillside so plenty of climbing and probably a multi lap course. Its a good venue though; I've camped their a couple of times on bike trips.

No idea what I'm in for

Much more of a daft themed cycling event than a race [ though some do actually race it most dont]

Tradition dictates a beer stop somewhere, someone in tweed, some in fancy dress, someone rode a bike made out of a radiator at the Lakes one.Its that sort of an event. Might be a hill climb or sprint which are optional. Its mainly just dossing about on bikes rather than an actual serious event

Cheers for the info re the area now what gearing and tyres .

well all packed ready to head off after work hopefully see some of you there

That was great fun, the trails were much rockier than expected which made for hard work but overall (for a trail centre ) they were ace fun. The Krampus destroyed it all and put a few bling machines to shame . Good beer, food and music. (I think I saw you at a distance George but didn't get a chance to speak...)
Oh and without really meaning to, I finished third....

well the less said about the friday the better

Agreed cracking route and pretty demanding - glad i had front suspension,amazed my knackered shoulder held up and it was a joy to behold to watch wayne descend on his fixie - kudos as he did first lap dab free

saw ht finish and get "on" the podium at the awards but had no idea it was you
saw George and chatted we agree plastic is terrible

TINAS was there as well and spoke to him as he left he has a day or two of bikepacking to get home

htrider wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2019 8:05 pmOh and without really meaning to, I finished third....

Brilliant effort and a magic weekend. Even for the organisers.

Classic moment with htrider when we both know we've met before and finally suss out it was on the Annat descent 6 years ago.

Swayndo wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 1:02 pm

htrider wrote: ↑Sun Aug 25, 2019 8:05 pmOh and without really meaning to, I finished third....

Brilliant effort and a magic weekend. Even for the organisers.

Classic moment with htrider when we both know we've met before and finally suss out it was on the Annat descent 6 years ago.

Cheers Ian good to meet you (again), just as well your memory is alright as I'd have never remembered that!

ye good drinking , camping etc , but hard racing on the ridged bike ! fun weekend though!

Good to meet you SSGeorge at the weekend and thanks for your chat about your Annapurna write up

Anyone know if / where photos are available?
There were a few photographers out there and me Mum wants to see my moment of glory....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/183991117 ... 0711160138

found some photos here

Single Speed George wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2019 2:38 pm https://www.flickr.com/photos/183991117 ... 0711160138

found some photos here

Cheers! A good one of my Mate Rob on his fatbike but amusingly nane of me!

TINAS was there as well and spoke to him as he left he has a day or two of bikepacking to get home

I mostly bailed it. Rode down to Dunblane and bivid by the river. Trains from sterling to Geetna and rode the last bit back to the car inwas home by (late) Monday night.

Takeaways:
SS is fun, but not when youre on the bike for 10+ hours endlessly spinning out 33-20!

I still need a lighter and more compact sleeping setup. The Rab Storm is great for biving in the open if theres a shower forecast but I think a rab survival bag, cuben tarp, quilt and a new mat are in my future if i want to do more multiday trips rather than overnighters.

Straight bars suck. 2 weeks on i still cant feel my pinkie finger.

10 hours of spinny riding in the rain is hypothermia inducing purgatory. I really should have identified a plan D before setting off that involved a bothy and alternative 2nd day route rather than persevering all the way to Peebles (plans a, b and c all relied on getting there on day 1) despite hitting the limit of type 2 fun not long after crossing the border!

North Cumbria is really dull, i spent 6 weeks riding arround Cambridgeshire this summer and that was more interesting than the ride from Gretna to Gilsland!

This

Thisisnotaspoon wrote: ↑Tue Sep 10, 2019 11:03 am SS is fun, but not when you're on the bike for 10+ hours endlessly spinning out 33-20!

and this

Thisisnotaspoon wrote: ↑Tue Sep 10, 2019 11:03 am 10 hours of spinny riding in the rain is hypothermia inducing purgatory.

When I tell people I'm a single-speeder their first question is "what about hills?" but it's the flat bits that are the issue as I gear the bike for the hilly bits. On the flat in the rain is the worst as there's no way to warm up, actually on the flat in sleet is the worst, the coldest I've ever got on a bike was a 10 mile ride home from work when the forecast snow came as 3 degree sleet... makes me shiver just thinking about it.

Have I seen that next years SSUK is in Yorkshire?

That would be near enough for me to get to

Yup, and my parents are in Wensleydale so should make a nice trip!

I geared for the event and planned a hillier route through the borders, but left little slack in the time allowance.

Plan a, scenic route to peebles
Plan b, direct route to peebles
Plan c, b but sleep in a pre arranged summer house/shed.

A double puncture in the rain and a degraded spare tube meant i was running late by the time id sacrificed my dry socks to dry off the tubes and patch them.

Some of the sheepfolds with huts were looking awfully tempting from the road but i was so tight on time, i probably didnt have enough battery in the lights to get to peebles if i trudged accross a field to get to one and found the inside was mud or full of sheep! Hence option D should have been to save a load of bothies in the garmin and just head directly north on day two.